Município de Monchique, Tourism

Tourist Office

The Tourism Office of Monchique is located at Largo de S. Sebastião (St. Sebastian Square). This information office is run by the Algarve Tourism Region, which provides visitors with personalized assistance when seeking cultural and even culinary information about the municipality of Monchique.

Address: Largo de S. Sebastião

Phone: 282 911 189 (Call to the national landline network)

E-mail: turismo.monchique@rtalgarve.pt

Working Hours:

Monday to Friday: 9:30 am to 1:00 pm and 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Closed on Saturdays and Sundays

Monchique Kindergarten

Address: São Roque
8550 – 446 Monchique

Telephone: 282913925 (Call to national fixed network)

Email: info@eb1-monchique-n21.rcts.pt

Portal: www.eb1-monchique-n21.rcts.pt

Social Action

Housing Support

Social Housing

Regulations

Family Support Center

XPTO

Scholarships

Social Network

How to get here

From Porto, take the A1 to Lisbon and then the A2 Lisbon – Algarve. Monchique is 263 km from Lisbon and 63 km from Faro.

From Ourique, you may choose to take the IC1 and go along the São Marcos da Serra "bypass road" (ER 267) – Alferce – Monchique.

From Lisbon, take the A2 (25th of April Bridge) or the Vasco da Gama Bridge. On the Via do Infante (A22), get off at the Monchique exit and take Estrada Nacional (National Route) 266.

Places to Visit

Visiting the Serra de Monchique is like visiting a mountainous area with widely diverse vegetation and a mild climate, affectionately known as "the Garden of the Algarve." Natural heritage which induces to contemplation. Pristine streams meandering at the bottom of deep valleys. Endowed with high environmental quality, the mountain's freshness is presented in contrast to the warm coastal area of the Algarve and Lower Alentejo region.

Be sure to visit Caldas de Monchique, which comprises a small square surrounded by large trees and fountains, a suitable place for picnics, and also get to know the Termas (Spas) and their springs of mineral medicinal waters, which have been used for treatments since ancient times.

Taking a stroll along the towns of Alferce, Marmelete and Monchique means enjoying the architectural, historical e cultural heritage, along with the vast natural beauty, and tasting traditional cuisine, honey, sweet desserts, the "medronho", that is our suggestion.

In the town center, you can enjoy a magnificent view from the belvedere of Saint Sebastian Park, visit the main church of Monchique, which dates back to the early 16th century, the Convent of Nossa Senhora do Desterro (Our Lady of Exile) and take a stroll along the town's narrow streets, see the many white houses with their typical "skirt-shaped" chimneys and stop to visit our handicraft shops. It is also worthwhile to climb the mountain up to Picota or even to Fóia (the highest point in the Algarve), where you may grasp a large extension of landscape from Cape St. Vincent to Serra da Arrábida. Also worth visiting is the Poucochinho Mill, at Barranco dos Pisões, where you can enjoy a picnic on its stone tables and under the shade of one of the many classified trees found at Serra de Monchique - a Maple tree.